Clearing

[Anastacia42]

Okay, if we're going to continue I can't keep trying to read these long quotes you give me. It will get way too messy when we start doing exercises.

Please watch the video about how to use quote and it's fine to practice here. I want yours to look like mine. I can't read all of my texts and then find your answers in the middle of it.

Let's get that done first and then we'll move on. And I think it's a good idea.

Much love,

[Anastacia42]

Thank you for your answers about choice and control. That's perfect and exactly right.

Question: There is one thing I’m still not clear about...being born and death. If there is no ‘me’ anywhere, then who is born? And who dies? It’s like I can’t go to that place and understand. Would you help me with this?

( I am doing this on my phone. It can be done.)

Just don't copy so much of it.

Copy only the small piece that you want to quote.

To me, the question about birth and death is a mystery. We think there's something to it, but there really isn't.

Our story of time lends itself to the idea of linear occurrences. It really isn't that way. The same thing goes for any question that begins with "why." The answer is that it's a mystery. It can be seen as totally meaningless. Another construct of the mind. The content of thought, but not actual experience.

After we do a Time exercise in a little while, see if you have a clear understanding then. Ironically and paradoxically... "then."

Much love,

[Anastacia42]

Use the PREVIEW button before you click "Submit."

Then you will know whether your quotes is just one small piece or tbe whole messy thing.

You can do this! :)

[Alexa]

Okay, if we're going to continue I can't keep trying to read these long quotes you give me. It will get way too messy when we start doing exercises

.
Stacy, did I do it correctly now? If not, I’ll stop posting and be on my way. I really appreciate your time and patience. Thank you so much for all you have done for me.

[Anastacia42]

Good morning, Alexa,

I am tempted to get on the phone with you and get this quote thing handled before we go any further.

I'm about to give you exercises that will have several questions in each one and I definitely do not want to see a big chunk of quotes. I want to see one quote then an answer, another quote then an answer, etc like my example of few posts back.

Do you want to do that? If so, I can send you my phone number in a private message and we can get on this together, both on your phone and on your laptop.

You're the great space and we don't want this getting in the way.

Did you watch the video? Did that help?

https://youtu.be/-fAToDNh9hQ

Much love,

[Anastacia42]

OH YAY!

Yes! You got it!

I was posting at the same time and didn't see your reply before I sent that last one. Okay. Now we can get started.

First we're going to learn to distinguish between content of thought and thought arising, something I think you already know but let's just be sure.

I think you know this part, too, but I want to be sure that you answer from what you see, and not from some thinking that came up. I usually give that as an example called colored socks. You can either remember what color your socks are that you put on this morning or you can look down at your socks. We want you to be doing the looking, not remembering and not thinking. I think you'll understand that.

Next, a very simple exercise in labeling what you see, hear, feel, taste, and touch and thought arising.

Actual Experience is

Image/Color or Seeing
Sound or Hearing
Sensation or Feeling/Touching
Taste or Tasting
Smell or Smelling
Thought Arising (but never the content of thought. That is made up and has no reality in Direct Experience or Actual Experience.)

Direct Experience - Labelling Daily Activities

Here's an exercise that I would like you to try as many times throughout the day as you can. Label daily activities simply color/image, sound, smell, taste, sensation, thought.

So for example, when having breakfast, become aware of:

Seeing a cup, simply= image/color
Smelling coffee, simply = smell
Feeling the warmth of the coffee cup, simply = sensation
Tasting the coffee, simply = taste
Hearing the spoon stirring the coffee, simply = sound
Thought about drinking the coffee, simply = thought

Just break down daily activities into these categories (which are all Actual/Direct Experience) and report back how it goes.

Report with at least two or three lists just like the one above.

Congratulations on mastering the quote function. :-)

Much love,

[Alexa]

Congratulations on mastering the quote function. :-)

Haha, thank you again for your patience!. The video did it for me, I’m a visual learner :-)

Ok here is what I saw when I did the activities. I picked three.

Next, a very simple exercise in labeling what you see, hear, feel, taste, and touch and thought arising.

Hearing:

today I sat outside and it was raining. Hearing the rain was effortless but it was hard to keep my attention just on hearing. There was an urge to label the sound ‘rain’ and an urge to worry about my husband traveling tonight. But once I noticed the worrying, my attention returned to hearing once again. Shortly after there were random thoughts, like “who is hearing?” Or “there is a knot in my stomach from worry”that kept pulling me. And once I noticed this, I got back to just hearing again.

Image/Color or Seeing:

Earlier today, I went to a restaurant for brunch. And all of the people, colors of the restaurant, shapes all around were available for me, effortlessly. Everything just appears without me doing anything. There was no discrimination on what colors or shapes to see, they are just allowed to appear without me. While I was looking all around, I tried to figure out who is seeing all this, answer was no one. Seeing is happening or ‘seeing’ is seeing...I don’t know if this makes sense. I also felt the space inside the restaurant, and a sense of space inside me, like I’m not solid. I think I’m thinking about this too much...

Thought arising:

This was challenging:-). While sitting outside hearing the rain, all I can describe is that there was so much noise coming, thoughts I mean were loud. But at the same time, it felt like the thoughts were sounds and they felt very close to me, versus the sound of the rain. I wanted badly to analyze the thoughts, and what they were saying. I got pulled into them, and yet at the same time, the sound of rain was being heard. Then I realized thought arising was the same as the sound of the rain...there was no distance from me. They were being noticed or heard without my consent, in the exact same location.

The challenging part was that I wanted to know what the thoughts were saying, I wanted to control them...It felt like an addiction I couldn’t shake. But how can I control them? I can’t, they are just sounds, like the rain.

Thank you for reading! Looking forward to your reply :-)

[Anastacia42]

Hi Alexa,

So glad you are still here. I think you will enjoy the exercises.

Before we go further, please read this and confirm that you understand it.


So here is an exercise or example about how we want you to answer the questions in each exercise from now on.

Colored Socks

There is a big difference between knowing that there is nothing to give up and seeing that there is nothing to give up.

Here is an example to illustrate the difference:

If I ask you what color socks you are wearing right now you have two ways to come up with an answer:

• You can have a think about it, you can think back to this morning and try to remember putting your socks on, and you can probably tell me what color you think they are.

• Alternatively, you can take a quick look at your socks and tell me what color they actually are!

Hopefully, you would agree that you can only be 100% certain by looking.

For the purpose of our dialogue together, it is going to be very important that you are clear about this difference.

Knowing is about knowledge which is all in the mind and we are not interested in that. We are only interested in looking at and seeing what is actually going on in your present moment to moment experience. We are only interested in your direct experience in the moment.

Please let me know if you are clear about this or if you would like any further clarification.

Next:

I want you to go back and read the instructions for the previous exercise.

What you've done this post a lot of thinking and story. We don't need that. What we need is clear seeing of Actual Experience.

Notice where it says to reply with three lists exactly like the one in the example?

What there should be in your reply is 3 lists that look exactly like this one, but with your experiences:

Seeing a cup, simply= image/color
Smelling coffee, simply = smell
Feeling the warmth of the coffee cup, simply = sensation
Tasting the coffee, simply = taste
Hearing the spoon stirring the coffee, simply = sound
Thought about drinking the coffee, simply = thought

So, sitting in the rain, you might notice & write something like:

Feeling raindrops on my head = Sensation
Smelling the wetness & the grass = Smelling
Hearing the rain = Hearing
Knot in my stomach = Sensation
Worry about my husband = Thought

I will try to be more careful in my instructions, but please read them very carefully, also.

Thank you for telling me that you're a visual learner I, too. I'm more auditory, so I'll see what I can do to make sure things are understood.

The challenging part was that I wanted to know what the thoughts were saying, I wanted to control them...It felt like an addiction I couldn’t shake. But how can I control them? I can’t, they are just sounds, like the rain.

Very true, as you know. After we do a couple of other exercises, there will be a few exercises on control, decisions, free-will, & such that should help with that.

Much love,

[Alexa]

Hi Stacy,

Ohhh I see! I need to slow down and read and re-read everything from now on.

Before we go further, please read this and confirm that you understand it.

Ok I read your instructions and I understand it. Just looking and labeling - NO stories.

What there should be in your reply is 3 lists that look exactly like this one, but with your experiences:

I would like to share a new experience with you, while holding my cell phone to type this:

Seeing a phone, simply= image/color
Feeling my fingers touching the screen, simply = sensation
Hearing my fingers tap the screen, simply = sound

Best,
Alexa

[Anastacia42]

Thank you, Alexa.

Yes, sometimes we have to even use language a bit differently from usual, so it helps to read the instructions very closely.

Looking forward to seeing your 3 lists.

Much love,

[Alexa]

Here you go Stacy!

Looking forward to seeing your 3 lists.

Reading a book:

Seeing a book, simply= image/color
Feeling the texture of the book, simply = sensation
Hearing the pages being turned, simply = sound

Best,
Alexa

[Anastacia42]

Great.

That is one list about reading a book. Can you send two more, please I want to make sure you've really got it. I think you do, but the more of it I see the clearer it that you got it.

There were only 3 senses named there. They're all perfect.

The example had about five items.

Looking forward to seeing two more lists with a few more items in them. Make sure to include something about thought.

Much love,

[Anastacia42]

Alexa,

If it helps, this is an example of someone who wrote 4 lists and included all the senses and thought. I want to see something like this, please.

Seeing the kitchen floor, simply: image
Hearing the kitchen fan, simply: sound
Smelling the spaghetti sauce, simply: smell
Tasting the spaghetti sauce, simply: taste
Feeling the floor with my feet, simply: sensation
Thinking about enlightenment, simply: thought

Seeing a chair, simply image
Listening to the wind, simply sound
Feeling the shirt on my skin, simply sensation
Tasting sandwich, simply taste
Thinking about work, simply thought

Seeing a tree, simply image
Hearing my sons voice, simply sound
Feeling the ground beneath me when walking, simply sensation
Lost in some fantasy about me talking to someone, simply thought

Seeing darkness, simply image
Feeling my back which lies on the bed, simply sensation
Hearing my wife’s breath, simply sound
Tasting the toothpaste in my mouth, simply taste
Thinking about a winter holiday, simply thought

Hope that helps!

[Alexa]

Hi Stacy,

I really apologize for making you explain everything to me, I really appreciate your help in getting clear:

Looking forward to seeing two more lists with a few more items in them. Make sure to include something about thought.

Seeing the dashboard in my car, simply: image
Hearing music from speakers, simply: sound
Smelling the car freshener, simply: smell
Tasting the gum in mouth, simply: taste
Feeling the pedal with my feet, simply: sensation
Thinking about work, simply: thought

Seeing a tree, simply image
Listening to the leaves moving, simply sound
Feeling the hat on my forehead, simply sensation
Tasting coffee, simply taste
Thinking about my kids, simply thought

Best,
Alexa

[Anastacia42]

Thank you, Alexa,

Yes, and I kind of hated to insist on more examples because it seems you got it, but let's be thorough.

Is it difficult to focus on the instructions? I know at times, I've been a bit . . . altered. . . and it can be a bit disorienting when we are clearly seeing through all of this. Is that what is going on?

We've checked for expectations and we've checked for fears, although at any time those may come up. When they do, they will be addressed at that time.

Now let's do an exercise to help distinguish between what is called "story" or "content" and the simple fact of Direct or Actual Experience (DE or AE). Again, you seem very clear on these things, but these are the foundation for some other fun stuff like Time, Memory and Body - all of which may help with your Birth/Death question.

As always, DE (Direct Experience) is image/color, sound, sensation, smell, taste and the fact of thought arising (but not the content of that thought or the story that thought tells.)

If you have a "real" apple then you can use that for this exercise.



Have a look at an apple. When "looking at an apple," there's color; a thought saying "apple;" and maybe a thought saying, "I'm looking at an apple."

What is known for sure? Color is known and thoughts are known.

What about the content of thoughts, the story, what they describe?

Actual experience does not refer to thoughts ABOUT something - because that is only more thought. Actual experience is sound, thought, color, smell, taste, sensation and the fact of a thought arising.

Is there really an ‘apple’ here, or only color and a thought ABOUT "apple?"

Can "apple" be found in actual experience?

While these thoughts are known, what they talk ABOUT can't be found in Actual Experience (AE.)

This is what is meant by "looking in actual experience." What you know for sure, and, is always here.

Taste labeled "apple" is known.
Color labeled "apple" is known.
Sensation labeled "apple" is known (when apple is touched).
Smell labelled "apple’ is known.
Thought about/of an "apple" is known.

However, is an apple actually known?

Let me know what you find.

Much love,